Shade roller



' Jan. 9, 1968 M. H. STARK 3,362,461

SHADE ROLLER Filed Oct. 24, 1965 INVENTOR.

( b C ML oN, SETTLE & TraR/VEXS CE 19/ G BY MART/N H. STHRK UnitedStates Patent 3,362,461 SHADE ROLLER Martin H. Stark, 223 N. Porter,Saginaw, Mich. 48602 Filed on. 24, 1965, Set. No. 504,428 1 Claim. (Cl.160-323) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure is for a window shaderoller assembly with the shade roller being fabricated of laminatedpaper and an end unit of molded construction to be received in theholder and have provisions for adjusting the length of the assembly.

This invention relates to window shade roller assemblies and moreparticularly to shade rollers fabricated of laminated paper and endassemblies especially adapted for use with such rollers.

The invention is especially directed to window shade roller assemblieswherein the roller element of the assembly is constructed from aconvolutely wound paper sheet which has the convolutions adhesivelybonded to each other. Such rollers are readily manufactured by winding asheet of paper material impregnated or coated with adhesive upon amandrel. Rollers possessing the necessary structural rigidity can beconveniently formed in this manner by techniques well known in the papertube making art.

In the usual case, the rollers are manufactured in a number of standardlengths. Because of minor variation in window dimensions, it isfrequently necessary to trim a standard length roller to fit a windowframe in which it is to be used. The rollers are conventionally soldwith a spade cap and torsion spring mounted in one end and bearing atthe other end an end cap through which a round pivot pin is driven intothe roller. To trim the roller to length, the end cap carrying the pivotpin is removed and trimming is done at that end of the roller.

Summary of the invention In accordance with my invention I provide ashade roller which is formed of laminated paper with a hollow interiorfor receiving an end cap. Preferably the end cap is a molded one piecesolid plastic article with a plurality of radially projecting ribsaxially extending on the end cap. The end cap includes a flange with theribs being positioned on one side of the flange and a support pinpositioned or embedded in the end cap and projecting from the flange onthe side opposite the ribs. The support pin also includes an enlargedhead embedded in the plastic end cap to provide adequate engagingsurfaces to prevent rotation or accidental removal from the end cap. Amodified form includes a screw thread on the outer surface of the endcap. By constructing the roller of laminated paper it is possible toinsert the end cap into the hollow end of the paper rollers with verylittle effort and the ribs engaging the paper are adequate to preventrotation of the end cap relative to the roller.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a window shaderoller assembly employing a wound paper roller having a pivot pincarrying end cap which is capable of axial adjustment relative to theroller.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent byreference to the following specification and to the drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of theinvention;

' Patented Jan. 9, 1968 FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view in an axialplane of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in an assembled position;

FIG. 3 is -a transverse cross sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 2;and

FIG. 4 is an axial cross sectional view of a modified form of theassembly of FIG. 2.

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown one end of a window shaderoller formed from a convolutely wound sheet of paper, the convolutionsof which are adhesively bonded to each other. The roller member 10 isformed by cutting a sheet of paper to a width equal to the desired axiallength of the roller and to a length sufficient to achieve the desiredthickness or number of convolutions or layers in the completed tube. Oneside of the paper is coated with adhesive with the exception of aninitial portion lengthwise of the paper suflicient enough to provide atab for insertion into a slot of a winding mandrel (not shown) and towrap at least once around the mandrel so that no adhesive is exposed tothe mandrel surface. The sheet is then tightly wound upon the mandreland, upon removal, provides an elongate hollow cylindrical tube.

An end cap or fitting designated generally 12 is, in the FIGS. 1 through3 embodiment, formed of a molded plastic or metal material having acircular flange 14 of an outer diameter substantially equal to the outerdiameter of the roller member 10.

As best seen in FIG. 2, a metal pivot pin 16 is molded into fitting 12to project coaxially from one side of flange 14. Integrally molded withflange 14 is an axially extending plug portion 18 which projects fromthe opposite side of flange 14. Plug 18 has an outer diametersubstantially equal to or slightly less than the internal diameter ofroller member 10 so that the plug portion can be inserted into theinterior of the roller member in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3.

A plurality of relatively sharp edged axially extending ribs 20 aremolded upon plug portion 18 and project radially outwardly from theperiphery of the plug. As best seen in FIG. 3, the ribs are adapted tocut into or be frictionally embedded in the interior wall of rollermember 10. The frictional grip of the tube upon the ribs 20 issufficient to frictionally lock end cap 12 at a selected position ofaxial adjustment relative to the tube, thus axially locating the outerface of flange 14 and the projecting pivot pin 16 to establish thedesired length of the roller assembly. It will be appreciated that aconventional spade and torsion spring assembly (not shown) will bemounted in the opposite end of roller member 10.

In FIG. 4, a modified form of end cap or fitting is disclosed. In theFIG. 4 embodiment, the end cap 22 takes the form of a metal or plasticelement formed with a flange 24 in which is threadably received aprojecting pin 26. The plug portion 28 in the FIG. 4 embodiment isformed to an outer diameter somewhat less than the internal diameter ofthe tube. In the FIG. 4 embodiment, the relatively sharp edged rib takesthe form of an external screw thread which projects radially from theplug portion by a distance sufllcient to cut into the inner wall of tube10 when fitting 22 is threaded into the tube. Flange 10 may be formedwith a pair of opposed flaps 32 to received a wrench to assist in thethreading operation. As in the FIGS. 1 through 3 embodiment, thefrictional grip of the tube upon the projecting rib or thread 30 issufficient to frictionally lock the end cap or fitting at the desiredposition of axial adjustment, thereby accurately fixing the length ofthe shade roller assembly.

The axial length of the alternate forms of embodiments disclosed isrelatively short, since the primary purpose of adjustability of thefitting is to avoid the necessity of trimming the roller where only arelatively small adjustment or reduction in length is desired. In theusual case,

the rollers are sold in standard lengths which match up quite closely tostandard sized window frames and the end caps or fittings disclosedabove permit a final adjustment to accurate length without the necessityof trimming. Where the range of adjustment required is beyond thatobtainable by axially positioning the end cap, it will be necessary totrim the roller roughly to length and make the final adjustment bypositioning of the end cap.

While I have disclosed two embodiments of my invention, it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiments maybe modified. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be consideredexemplary rather than limiting and the true scope of the invention isthat defined in the following claim.

I claim:

1. A window shade roller assembly comprising a convolutely wound sheetof paper, the convolutions of said sheet being adhesively bonded to eachother to define a rigid elongate multi-layer cylindrical roller member,a molded solid one piece end cap having a circular flange of a diametersubstantially equal to the outer diameter of said roller member, aroller support pin fixed in said flange against movement relativethereto and extending from one side thereof to form the sole supportbeyond said flange, a reduced diameter plug portion formed on the otherside of said flange and adustably received with in the interior of saidtube, said plug having a relatively small tapered end and a plurality ofsharp edged ribs positioned radially on the outer edge of the plug witheach rib extending longitudinally thereon from the flange to the taperedend and deforming the inner Wall of said paper tube to lock said end capagainst rotation relative to the tube at a selected position of axialadjustment, said ribs are equally spaced about the periphery of saidplug to guide the end cap in a straight path on making adjustment of theend cap and the support pin having an enlarged head completelysurrounded by the molded plug to lock the pin against movement in anydirection.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 320,247 6/1885 Hartshorn 1 60-325X 3,099,916 8/1963 Rosenbaum l60323 3,248,899 5/1966 Anderson 160326 XDAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

PETER M. CAUN, Examiner.

